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The
18th Century American Overture Works by
James HEWITT (1770-1827) Benjamin
CARR (1768-1831) Alexander REINAGLE
(1756-1809) 
Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä/Patrick Gallois rec. 2009
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559654 [68:25] 
[Byz]
Tuneful
and innocuous.
The
Ernest Ansermet Collection from Cascavelle Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Les Illuminations, War Requiem
Alban BERG (1885-1935) Sieben frühe
Lieder
Suzanne Danco (soprano) Chloé Owen (soprano) Heather Harper (soprano)
Peter Pears (tenor) Thomas Hemsley (baritone) Chœurs de la Radio Suisse
Romande/Orch de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1953-1967
CASCAVELLE VEL 3125 [2 CDs 64:12 + 50:14]
[JQ] Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Requiem Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier letzte Lieder
Teresa Stich-Randall (soprano) Gérard Souzay (baritone) Union Chorale
de la Tour-de-Peilz/Orch de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1957-1961
CASCAVELLE
VEL 3135 [60:56] 
[JQ]
Valuable
archive material showing the artistry of Ansermet, including a very
fine War Requiem
Ave
Virgo Sanctissima Choral works by de Ghersem, Guerrero,
Cornet, Rogier & Philips
Currende/Erik van Nevel rec. 2010
ACCENT ACC24235 [75:44] [BW] 
Lovers
of renaissance polyphony need not hesitate to acquire this recording.
Sir
Thomas Beecham The
Later Tradition: From Beethoven to Strauss
Royal PO rec. 1950s
EMI CLASSICS 9186112 [8 CDs]
[DBe]
A
rewarding selection played with bravado and technical sheen.
Sir
Thomas Beecham – The Great Communicator Works by Grieg,
Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Stravinsky, Mozart & others
EMI CLASSICS 9 09964 2 [4 CDs: 75:05 + 79:36 + 79:39 + 79:36]
[JW]
You
will learn new things here about Beecham.
Berlin
Opera Night 2003
Angelika
Kirchschlager (mezzo) Adrianne Pieczonka (soprano) Deutschen Oper O,
Berlin/Kent Nagano rec. live, 2003
EUROARTS 2053589 
[73:00] 
[RJF]
Something
of a mixed bag, but with a few nuggets of vocal gold. Buy it and support
a worthy cause.
Bonjour
Paris
Works by Debussy, Fauré, Françaix, Odermatt, Ravel, d'Indy,
Satie & Hahn
Albrecht Mayer (oboe, oboe d’amore, cor anglais) ASMF/Mathias
Mönius rec. 2010
DECCA 4782564 [74:25]
[ST]
Fans
of the oboe will love this disc: aspects of it may be forgettable but
it collects a sequence of beautiful music which should give pleasure
to most.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Cantiones Sacrae 1575
Motet sequence by Tallis & Byrd
Alamire/David Skinner rec. 2009/10
OBSIDIAN OBSID-CD706 [74:37 + 55:47]
[JQ]
An
exceptionally fine complete recording.
Concerti
Curiosi Works
by Paradies, Reichenauer, Berlin, Pepusch, Hertel, Croft & Baldassari
Charivari
Agréable/Kah-Ming Ng rec. 2010
SIGNUM SIGCD249 [62:23]
[JV]
A
disc for adventurous music-lovers who like to extend their horizons.
Continental
Britons -
The Émigré Composers
Ensemble Modern, Frankfurt rec. live, 2002
NIMBUS NI 5730/1 [76:46 + 76:38]
[JW]
Anyone
with the slightest interest in these composers can hardly fail to be
stirred by this release.
Alfred
Cortot – The Late Recordings: Vol. 4 Works by Schubert, Schumann,
Liszt & Chopin
rec. 1951-54
APR 5574 [72:56] [JW]
Much
to excite the poetic instinct.
Cziffra
in Prague 1955
Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
Sonatas Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Rhapsodie espagnole, Hungarian Rhapsody 2, Prelude and Fugue
on the name of Bach, Funérailles
György Cziffra (piano) rec.1955/9
ICA CLASSICS ICAC5008 [64:32]
[JW]
Still
inherently and inevitably unbalanced in repertoire, and best sought
by Cziffra collectors.
Hugues
Cuénod
- Le Maître de la Mélodie
Hugues Cuénod (tenor)
Geoffrey Parsons (piano) rec. 1978, No texts.
NIMBUS NI 5337 [74:28] 
[JW]
A
voice made up for what it lacked in burnish with intelligent phrasing,
excellent diction and a sure sense of style.
The
Placido Domingo Story
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 477 9333 [3 CDs: 202:43 & book]
[GF]
This
is a wide-ranging portrait of this multi-talented musician. It should
be an ideal gift to someone who has just started to get an interest
in opera, but in fact to anyone with an interest in strong, beautiful
and well-focused singing.
Echoes
of Nightingales Encores as sung by Kirsten Flagstad,
Eileen Farrell, Helen Traubel and Eleanor Steber
Christine Brewer (soprano) Roger Vignoles (piano) rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67813 [65:52]
[GF]
Buy
the disc, lock the door, shut the blinds, pour a glass of Medoc, light
a candle, slump in your favourite chair, read John Steane’s essay and
start listening. You won’t regret the purchase.
EMI
Classics British Composers boxes –
A Feature Review
BRITTEN 5099909539556 EMI Classics
LIGHTER ELGAR 5099909542228 EMI
Classics
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS 5099909543355 EMI
Classics
DELIUS 5099909540552 EMI Classics
British Composers - A Celebration 5099909548053 EMI Classics
Full content-listing at end of review
[RB]
EMI
Classics’ leadership in the field of British music is affirmed yet again
with these generously stocked and attractively priced sets.
English
Harpsichord Music John
BLOW (1648/49-1708) William CROFT
(1678-1727) Henry PURCELL
(1659-1695) Thomas CHILCOT (1707-1766)
Ruth
Dyson (harpsichord) rec. 1990, DDD
HERITAGE HTGCD 215 [52:36]
[JV]
Testimony
to the late Ruth Dyson's activities in the field of historical performance
practice.
Wilhelm
Furtwängler: The Legend Works by MOZART,
HAYDN, SCHUBERT & SCHUMANN
Vienna PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1948-1954
EMI CLASSICS 50999 9 08119 2 0 [3 CDs: 71:06 + 76:25 + 71:35]
[RM]
Furtwängler
was a musical legend, but I’m not sure that you’d necessarily deduce
as much by listening to these newly-reissued recordings.
The
Glory of Ely Cathedral
Jeremy Filsell, Paul Trepte (organ) The Choir of Ely Cathedral/Paul
Trepte rec. Ely Cathedral, 1991-2
HERITAGE HTGCD 219 [73:31]
[JS]
There
is so much to enjoy here.
English
Choral Music
Cambridge University Chamber Choir/Timothy Brown
rec. June 1991, St George’s Church, Cambridge, U.K. No texts provided.
HERITAGE
HTGCD213 [67:29]
[WH]
A
superb and inexpensive disc rather compromised by the failure to provide
the sung texts.
Glass
Heart Violin sonatas by Glass, Schubert & Ravel
Maria Bachmann (violin) Jon Klibonoff (piano) rec. 2009
ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC OMM7006 [65:33]
[AM]
The
Glass heart might be weak, but there are pleasures to be had in this
attractive recital.
The
Golden Age of Light Music
The Composer Conducts - Vol. 1
GUILD
LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5177 [79:06]
[JW]
An
enjoyable selection. Purchase with confidence.
The
Golden Age of Light Music:
The Composer Conducts - Vol. 2
GUILD
LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5178
[78:12]
[JW]
Something
for everyone, really.
Percy
Grainger - The complete 78rpm solo recordings
Percy
Grainger (piano) rec. 1908-45
APR 7501 [5 CDs: 390:05]
[JW]
Something
a little bit special to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the death of
Percy Grainger.
Great
Artists Collection: Pianists
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9200 [10 CDs: c.11:45:00]
[DM]
As
a one-box introduction to these pieces I suppose it will have some appeal,
but even at this super-budget level it’s much too variable.
Great
Artists Collection: Violinists
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9201 [10 CDs]
[WH][RB]
A
very mixed bag. Many fine performances, a few less so, and does the
choice of works appeal? [WH] An inexpensive outing with ten violinists
of the twentieth century and their repertoire both contemporary and
nineteenth century. [RB]
Great
British Anthems by Parry, Stanford, Stainer, Naylor, Walton,
Holst & Finzi
Vasari Singers/Jeremy Backhouse, Jeremy Filsell (organ) rec. 2009
NAXOS
8.572504 [70:15]
Some
of the finest examples of the English church music tradition in excellent
performances.
If
I were a rich man The Life of Jan Peerce
Hosted by Isaac Stern
EUROARTS CLASSIC ARCHIVE 2058328
[59:00] [RMay]
A
reminder of a fine singer whose career was unique and remarkable.
Ingen
Blomst i Verdens Lande Songs by Heise, Kuhlau, Barnekow
& Bechgaard
Erik Bekker Hansen (tenor) Camilla Toldi Bugge (soprano) Ellen Refstrup
(piano) rec. 2010
DANACORD DACOCD705 [65:51]
[GF]
Worth
hearing for some fine songs.
Invitation
to the Dance Alexander GLAZUNOV
(1865-1936) The Seasons Franz LISZT
(1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody 2 Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Boléro; Alborada del gracioso Adolphe
Charles ADAM (1803-1856) Giselle Carl
Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Invitation to the Dance
Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946) El sombrero
del tres picos
Paris Conservatoire O/Albert Wolff rec. 1954-8
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 2388 [71:36 + 71:57]
[DM]
The
hidden pleasure of the Eloquence reissues is their ability to renew
and revitalise, rare commodities in an age of musical saturation and
uniformity.
Inward
Richard
Craig (flute) Karin Hellqvist (violin) Pontus Langendorf (percussion)
rec. 2009/10
METIER MSV28517 [63:24]
[CR]
Craig
is a master of contemporary techniques and approaches the avant-garde
with obvious technical control and clear musical understanding. This
disc has much to offer.
Italian
Recorder Music
Amsterdam
Loeki Stardust Qt, Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood rec.
1989-92
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802044 [4 CDs]
[GPu]
A
thoroughly enjoyable sampler of the early years of a pioneering recorder
quartet.
Jazz
Nocturne - Concertos of the Jazz Age James
P. JOHNSON (1894-1955) Yamekraw, A Negro Rhapsody
Harry RESER (1896-1965) Suite for
Banjo and Orchestra George GERSHWIN
(1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue Dana
SUESSE (1909-1987) Concerto in Three Rhythms
Gary Hammond, Tatiana Roitman, Peter Minton, Michael Gurt (pianos) Don
Vappie (banjo) Hot Springs Music Festival SO/Richard Rosenberg rec.
2005-2009
NAXOS 8.559647 [70.41]
[TA]
Naxos
has done us a service in putting together two different musical genres
without demeaning either
Carlos
Kleiber: Traces to Nowhere A film by Eric Schulz
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101
553 [72:00]
[ST]
If
ever there was a legend among modern conductors then surely it is Carlos
Kleiber.
Lysøen
- Hommage à Ole Bull
Nils Økland (violin, hardanger fiddle), Sigbjørn Apeland (piano, harmonium)
rec. 2009/10
ECM 2179 (2740246) [62:04] [DC]
Melancholy,
but quite magical
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part
1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part
7 Misc M-Z]
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